I’ve been thinking a lot lately about my relationship with AI. If I’m being honest, it’s complicated.
No shade on the different AI agents out there, but we were promised one thing that would lighten the load. Something to undertake the mundane repetitive work so we could spend our time on the creative, strategic, meaningful stuff. And sure enough, that is being delivered in some really cool ways. But it’s also being overshadowed by a tide of gimmickry and hype.
My feed is clogged with the new viral AI-produced picture, fake video, or outlandish assertion that creatives are officially “cooked.” So long as one has a prompt and some clicks, it supposedly doesn’t take years of experience, analysis, or the human touch required to be good in design, writing, or storytelling.
It’s tempting to roll my eyes and sometimes I do. But then I remember: underneath the surface-level noise, there’s something really powerful happening. And if we zoom out for a second, we’ve seen this story before.
Every time a new technology breaks through, it follows a familiar arc:
Phase 1: A burst of excitement.
Phase 2: A plethora of new experiments and tools.
Phase 3: A panic or existential backlash.
Phase 4: A settling-in, where the technology starts to find its true value.
We are roughly between phases 2 and 3 with AI these days. The tools are improving quickly, the opportunities are growing, and sure, the conversation is messy.
But this time it’s different: the velocity of iteration. AI is not another tool, it’s a multiplier. Applied with purpose, it can level the learning curve, reduce the distance from idea to action, and lower the barrier for individuals who’ve traditionally been held back by time, resources, or technical complexity.
While working on the R.A.I.L. System, I was able to work quicker since I had resources to assist with generating code to put into the scripts, with debugging code, and even assist with designing a custom video player UI. Something that would have taken weeks to get done with tweaking a few years back would take a few hours. It did not eliminate the necessity of design judgment or in-depth technical skills, but it eliminated much of the tedium.
Projects that used to take weeks of iteration now take days, or hours. AI has helped me explore more ideas, test assumptions earlier, and focus on what actually matters: the experience I’m trying to create. It hasn’t replaced creativity. It’s reduced friction so creativity can happen more easily.
And this isn’t just my story. There are powerful examples of AI being used with care and intention across different industries, especially in ways that empower people, not replace them.
Take Be My Eyes, a platform designed to help blind and low-vision individuals with everyday tasks through live video calls with volunteers. In 2023, they introduced an AI-powered “Virtual Volunteer” that uses image recognition and natural language processing to offer assistance on demand. It can read labels, describe environments, or help with tasks like cooking or navigating public spaces, all without requiring a human on the other end of the line.
Or look at what Duolingo is doing with AI. They’ve integrated language models into their learning experience to create more personalized, adaptive practice sessions. AI powers real-time conversation simulations, helping users get a feel for natural dialogue, something that used to require a live tutor or language partner. It’s not replacing language teachers; it’s scaling access to immersive practice for millions of people.
The same goes for Kitchen Cloud. We’re focused on delivering real value to users by using AI as a quiet enabler of what truly matters, not as a shiny distraction.
The irony is: AI hasn’t replaced creativity in my world. It’s given it room to breathe.
And that’s where I believe the true potential is. Not in replacing humans, but in enabling them. Not in pursuing virality, but in developing products that subtly simplify life, enrich it with intelligence, and entertain it.
Of course, we’ll still have to wade through the noise. That’s just part of the deal. But if you look past the gimmicks, you’ll find people doing thoughtful, impactful work with AI, moving the needle forward in ways that actually matter.
Creativity isn’t dead. It’s simply changing. And if we are deliberate with how we use these tools, we might find ourselves in an entirely new world of possibility, where even more people can turn their ideas into realities, not fewer.
So yes, I have a love/hate relationship with AI. I get frustrated with the gimmicks. I roll my eyes at the hype. But I’ve also seen what happens when you use it intentionally. I’ve seen it streamline workflows, amplify creativity, and open up possibilities that didn’t exist five years ago.
Creativity isn’t dead. It’s evolving. And AI? When you use it well, it’s not the show, it’s the scaffolding.
PSA: Stop making Hayao Miyazaki sad with AI.
